Misery Loves My Company
by Imagilove
Summary: Matt and the rest of the Hardy family were slowly making amends with the painful fact that their beloved Jeff would never return home. Jeffrey Nero Hardy has been missing since he was five years old. Matt is now 19 years old and a senior in high school. He finally feels as if his life is slowly getting back to normal after he is awarded the Morehead Award, a scholarship that allows
1. Prologue

Matt walks with his younger brother towards the bus stop. It was a breezy morning in early May. The young blonde runs up to him with a grin on his face. "HEY MATT! I'LL RACE YOU THERE!" he shouts playfully.

Matt smiles and replies. "YOU'RE ON JEFFREY!"

The younger blonde sprints off ahead of Matt. Matt follows him, trying to catch up. The younger child runs down the drive and rounds the bend before Matt even has a chance to catch up. Matt trips over his shoe laces and falls. He bends down to tie his shoes and calls out "JEFF! WAIT UP!"

A blood curdling scream rips through the woods and echoes. Matt looks up quickly and calls out for the younger blonde. "JEFF?!"

He grows concerned when his brother doesn't answer him. In a panic, he runs around the bend to the bus stop.

A deep blue colored van speeds off down the road, Jeff is nowhere to be found. Matt looks around frantically. "JEFFREY NERO WHERE ARE YOU?!" He shouts. His heart sinks when he sees Jeff's black sneaker laying on the side of the road.

He runs back towards the house, hoping that their mother was still awake.

Matt bursts through the front door. "MOM!" He calls out. Ruby walks out of the kitchen and into the living room. "Matthew, what's wrong? Where's your brother?" She asks calmly. Matt looks at her almost in tears. "I DON'T KNOW! WE WERE RACING… AND… HE GOT AHEAD OF ME. I TRIPPED, WHEN I GOT UP AND CAUGHT UP. HE WAS GONE! JUST HIS SHOE WAS THERE!" He cries.

Ruby bends down and grabs the raven haired boy's hands. "What do you mean he was gone?" She asks softly.

Matt sniffles. "I heard him scream, when I got to the bus stop.. He was gone and a van was driving away." he explains.

Ruby picks up the phone and begins calling people.


	2. Missing

**Missing Person**

**Name**:Jeffrey Nero Hardy

**Date of birth**: August 31, 1977

**Age**: 5

**Eye color**: Green

**Hair color**: Blonde

**Height**: 4' 3"

**Weight**: 45 lbs.

**Last seen**: 7 a.m. May 17, 1982. Jeffrey was last seen walking to the school bus stop with his older brother Matthew. Matthew reports that he had stopped to tie his shoe and when he looked up, Jeffrey was gone.

Jeffrey was wearing a black t-shirt, blue jeans, black sneakers and a black baseball cap.

If you have any information involving this missing child please contact the Moore county sheriff's department and the Hardy family.


	3. ATTENTION READERS!

**ATTENTION READERS**

**I am currently brain storming my next chapter. If you have any ideas as far as pairings or even if you want your own character to be in there... either send me a review, or a pm.. or both.**

**Thank you.**

**~Imagilove~**


	4. Rough Day

Matt walks to his locker and sighs. Today was so rough. He opens his locker and looks at the picture on the door of himself and Jeff when they were children. He picks it up and closes his eyes, remembering when the photo was taken.

They were getting ready for a football game. It was the first game that Jeff was allowed to play in. Jeff looks over at Matt with a huge grin on his little face. "Matty, I can finally play with everyone!" He chirps happily.

Matt smiles and walks over to him. "Are you excited?"

"Well Duh!" Jeff replies giggling as he picks up his shoulder pads. He looks at Matt. "Uh… Matt? Help me? Please.." He says.

Matt laughs and helps Jeff put the shoulder pads and Jersey on. "There you go buddy." He says. Their mother Ruby comes around the corner with their younger sister Rayna. "Awe… Don't you both look precious." She says with a sweet both grin at her as she pulls out the camera and snaps their picture.

Matt opens his eyes and wipes the tears from his cheeks. He touches the picture. "I miss you both so much…" He says as he closes his locker.

"Matt, are you okay?" Andrea asks from behind. He jumps surprised to hear her voice. He turns around and nods. "Yeah.. It's just, today is my younger brother's birthday. He'd be seventeen today."

Andrea looks at him confused. "What do you mean by would be?" she asks.

He sighs. "Lets go sit down somewhere and I'll explain."

They walk out to the courtyard and sit on a bench in the shade. "My brother Jeff was kidnapped when we were little. The police were never able to find him. As far as we know, he's dead.."

Andrea looks at Matt stunned, not sure what to say. She hugs him tight. "Oh Matt.. I'm so sorry.. I had no idea…" She says as she rubs his back. Matt nods. "It's okay.. Umm… my dad works tonight and my sister has a date tonight. Would you like to come over and keep me company tonight?" He asks.

Andrea smiles. "Yes she does… with my brother. And I'd love to come over tonight."

Matt laughs. "Oh really? She never told me that."

She giggles. "My brother really likes her. He's been cheerful and bouncy all week, it's quite funny actually."

Matt smiles. "Your brother being bouncy? You've got to get that on tape.."

She laughs. "Actually I do have him on tape. I recorded him singing while he was cleaning the kitchen."

"Oh really? Show me." Matt replies laughing.

Andrea pulls out her phone and looks for the video. "Here." She says as she hands the phone to Matt.

Mason stands by the sink, humming something quietly as he washes the dishes. He puts some dishes into the strainer and dances over to the table singing Don't Stop the Party by Pittbull. "Yeah eh ah eah eah… Don't Stop the Partyyy…." He sings.

Matt closes the phone and loses it laughing. "Oh boy…" He says.

"What?" Mason says from across the courtyard.

"Nothing.." Andrea and Matt reply in unison. Mason walks over to them and makes a face. "Okay you two.. Just get a room already. You're practically in each other's laps." He says.

Matt looks down and realizes how close he is sitting to Andrea. He smiles and pulls her close. "How much longer until you're sixteen?" he asks

She smiles big. " A weeek." She replies.

"Will you go out with me in a week?" Matt asks.

Andrea's eyes light up. "Of course…" She says.

Matt kisses her cheek and gets up. "Well, my dad goes to work at three… So come over around then?"

Andrea smiles. "Okay Matt. See you then."


End file.
